Pump and method of packing the same



June 17; 1930. R. w, STEPHENS fr AL -1,764,364

PUILP AND METHOD OF PACKING T-HE SAIE;

Filed July 16. 1927 2 heats-Sheet l fllllllllllllullrlll III June 17, 1930. R. w. STEPHEN-s ET M PuuP AANDY METHOD oF PACKING THE sus 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 16, 1927 Patented June 17, 1930 FAT'T Price nosoon W. STEPHENS, or Los ANGELns, AND criAaLns An'wrricoir, or ANAHEIM,

cALIronNiA, AssisNons on ONE-FOURTH 'ro criAn-Lss nnADini, or BEVERLY, CALIFORNIA, AND oNaroUivri-r rro naar, vitamins?, or BAKERsFIELD, oALI-` FORNIA PUMP AND METHVE OF PACKINGv T SAME Application filed July 16, 1927. Serial No. 206,311.

Our invention relates to reciprocating pumps, and has a particular utility in the oil well industry in which connection it will be described in this application for Letters Patent.

In the oil well industry, oil is lifted to the surface of the ground by means of a reciprocating pump located nearjthe bottom part of the well, this pump having a barrel 'which is connected to an oil tube, and a plunger' which is reciprocated in the barrel by a. string of sucker rods.

In certain wells the oil carries sand or other foreign matter which works in between the barrel and the plunger and acts as an abrasive to wear out the pump parts.

lt is one of the objects of this invention "to provide a pump in which sand or other abrasives will be precluded from entering the space between the plunger and the barrel.

Our invention consists of a pump having means for introducing a comparatively heavy lubricant or other suitable abrasive excluding medium into the minute space between the plunger and the barrel. Vie have found that best results may be obtained when the lubricant is under greater pressure than the pressure of the fluid at the top of the plunger, so that there willbe a very slight but positive iiow of abrasive excluding medium through the space between the plunger and barrel.

1t is accordingly another object of this invention to provide a pump Vin which there is a slight but positive iiow of abrasive eX- cluding medium through the space between the barrel and plunger of the pump.

@ther objects and advantages of the invention will be pointed outJ in the following description.

Referring to the accompanying drawings in which the invention is illustrated:

Fig. 1 is a vertical section through one form of the invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary section showing a plunger of the invention.

Fig. 3 is a section taken on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a vertical section through another form of the invention.

Figs. 5 to 8 inclusive are sections taken on the lines 55, 6 6, 7-7,and 8-8'o'f Fig. 1.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 3 inclusive in which one form of the invention is illustrated, the numeral 11 represents a pump barrel, this pump barrel having a liner 12. The lower end of the pump barrel is secured to a foot piece 13 in which aystanding valve 111 is seated. The upper end ofthe barrel 11 is secured, as

shown, to a head 16, Vthis head 16 havingv means whereby an' oil tube lmay be connected to the pump. Adapted to reciprocate in the barrel 11 is a plunger 18 having a working valve or traveling valve 19. The upper end of the plunger 18 is connected to the lower end of a string of sucker rods 20 which eX- tends upward through the oil tube 17 to the surface of the ground whereat it is connected to a suitable reciprocating means.

Surrounding` the upper part 11is a jacket 22. The lower end of the jacket '22 is secured to the barrel 11 by a flange portion 23, and the upper end thereof is threadedly secured at 2/1 to the head 16. The jacket 22 provides an annular reservoir 26 which surrounds the upper part of the barrel 11. The lower end of the reservoir 26 is connected by a plurality of openings 28 to the minute 'space which exists between the barrel 11 and the plunger18. The upper end of the reservoir 26 is connected by a plurality of openings 29 to the space above theplunger 18. The reservoir 26 contains a body 30 of abrasive excluding medium. This abrasive excluding medium is preferably in the form of a heavy lubricant having a specific gravity greater than that of the liquid being pumped by the reciprocating pump ofthe invention.

As illustrated best in Fig. 2, a plunger 34 is placed in the reservoir 26 and forces downward on the top of the body 30. The plunger 34 has an annular packer 35 which engages the outer surface of the barrel 11 and the inner surface of the jacket 22 so as to provide a tight seal. This packer 35 is secured by suitable screws 36 to a body 37 of theplunger 34. The plunger 34 may also include one or more weights 38 which increase the pressure on the body 30.. y

of the barrel The operation of the is as follows:

The plunger 18 is reciprocated in the barrel 11 and oil or other liquid is elevated to the surface of the ground through the oil tube 17 in the customary manner. The fluid-pressure in thel barrel 11 above the plunger 18 is communicated through the openings 29 to the upper end of the reservoir 26. This pressure is applied to the body of abrasive excluding lnedium 30. In addition to this pressure there is the pressure which results from the weight of the plunger 34. It will be seen, therefore, that the pressure on the body of abrasive excluding medium 30 is in excess of the fluidpressure at the upper end of the plunger 18 an amount equal to that applied by the plunger 34. The abrasive excludingmedium 30 is forced through the openings 28 at the lower part of the reservoir 26 into the minute space which exists between the plunger 18 and the barrel 11. This medium flows in this space both upward and downward, exuding from the upper and lower ends of the plunger 18. This medium being preferably in the form of a heavy lubricant lubricates the contacting surfaces of the barrel and plunger, and in addition to this absolutely prevents any sand carried by the liquid being pumped from entering the space between these two part-s. The pressure on the body 30 being in excess of the static pressure of the fluid at the upper pai't of the plunger' 18 assures a slow but positive flow of abrasive excluding medium through the space between the plunger and barrel.

In the form of the invention shown in Figs. 4 to 8 inclusive, there is a pump barrel 40, the lower end of which is connected to a foot piece 41, this foot piece supporting a standing valve 42. Adapted to reciprocate in the barrel 40 is a pump plunger 43 having a traveling valve 44. The upper end of the plunger 43 extends above the upper end of the barrel 40 and is connected to a string of sucker rods 45. The upper end of the barrel 40 is surrounded by a jacket 47 which is connected at 48 to the barrel. The upper end of this acket 47 extends a considerable distance above the upper end of the barrel 40 and 1s connected at 49 to an oil tube 50.

The jacket 47 provides a reservoir 52. The lower end of the reservoir 52 is connected to the space between the barrel and plunger by a plurality of openings 53. That portion of the reservoir above the upper end of the barrel 40 is in communication with that part of the plunger 43 which projects above the barrel. Placed in the upper end of the reservoir 52 is a plunger 55 which presses downward on a body 56 of abrasive excluding medium which is preferably in the form of a heavy lubricant. The plunger includes a lower packer 57 which engages the inner surface of the jacket 47 and the external surpump just described face of the plunger 43. The packer 57 is carried at the lower end of a head 58 of the plunger 55 from which head 58 there extends in an upward direction a tube 59. This tube 59 is of cylindrical cross-section, and the inner diameter is slightly larger than the external diameter of the plunger 43. The upper end of the tube 59 which comprises a part of the plunger 55 terminates below the upper end of the reservoir 52 and is centralized by a centralizing member having fins 60 which engage the inner surface of the jacket 47.

It will be seen that the upper part of the reservoir 52 above the packer 57 of the plunger 55 is in communication wth the space above the plunger 43 and is subjected to the fluidpressure at this point. This fluid-pressure plus the pressure resulting from the weight of the plunger forces downward on the body 56 of abrasive excluding medium. The

Vabrasive excluding medium is therefore forced through the openings 53 and into the space between the plunger and barrel of the pump. The sand excluding medium is also slowly forced upward between the plunger 43 and the packer 57. This insures that no sand or other abrasive will enter the contacting faces of either the pump or the barrel.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that even though the two forms of the invention differ slightly as to design, they both embody the important principle of the invention of supplying a sand excluding medium under pressure to the space between the plunger and barrel or to the outer surface of the plunger to prevent abrasives from getting onto the contacting moving parts; and also that important principle of the invention which provides for placing the sand excluding medium under greater pressure than the fluid-pressure at the upper end of the plunger so that there will bea slow but positive flow of sand excluding medium through the space between theplunger and the barrel.

IVe claim as our invention:

1. In a pump, the combination of: a barrel having a standing valve; a pump delivery tube; a plunger adapted to operate in said barrel, said plunger having a traveling valve discharging pumped fluidinto said delivery tube; and means subjected to the pressure of the pumped fluid and supplying an additional pressure for forcing an abrasive excluding fluid medium through the space between the external surface of said plunger and the internal surface of the barrel with more pressure than the pressure of the uid being pumped.

2. In a pump, the combination of: a barrel having a standing valve; a pump delivery tube; a plunger adapted to operate in said barrel, said plunger having a traveling valve discharging pumped fluid into said delivery tube; means forming a reservoir, said reservoir being in communication with the space between said plunger and said barrel and adapted to contain an abrasive excluding fluid medium; and means subjected to the pressure of the pumped fluid and supplying an additional pressure for placing a pressure on said abrasive excluding fluid medium in excess of the fluid-pressure at the top end of said plunger to feed said medium through said space. Y

3. In a pump, the combination of: a barrel having a standing valve; a pump delivery tube; a plunger adapted t'o operate in said barrel, said plunger having a traveling valve discharging pumped fluid into said delivery tube; means forming a reservoir, said reservoir being in communication with the space between saidv plunger and said barrel, and said reservoir being in communication with the delivery tube so that an abrasive excluding fluid medium in said reservoir will be subjec-ted -to the fluid-pressure of the pumped fluid to feed said medium through said space; and means in said reservoir for increasing the pressure on said abrasive excluding fluid medium so that said pressure will be in excess of the fluid-pressure at the top end of said plunger.

4. In a pump, the combination of: a barrel having a standing valve; a pump deliv# ery tube; a plunger adapted to operate in said barrel, said plunger having a traveling valve discharging pumped fluid into said delivery tube; means forming a reservoir, said reservoir being in communication with the space between said plunger and said barrel, and said reservoir being in communication with the delivery tube so that an abrasive excludino' fluid medium in said reservoir will be subjected to the fluid-pressure of the pumped fluid to feed said medium through said space; and means for increasing the pressure on said abrasive excluding fluid medium so that said pressure will be in excess of the fluid-pressure at the top end of said plunger.

5. In a pump, the combination of: a barrel having a standing valve; a pump delivery tube; a plunger adapted to operate in said barrel; said plunger having a traveling valve discharging pumped fluid into said delivery tube; means forming a reservoir, said reservoir being in communicationwith the space between said plunger and said barrel, and said reservoir being in communication with the delivery tube so that an abrasive excluding fluid medium in said reservoir will be subjected to the fluid-pressure of the pumped fluid to feed said medium through said space; and a piston in said reservoir above said abrasive excluding fluid medium for increasing the pressure on said abrasive excluding fluid medium so that said pressure will be in excess of the fluid-pressure at the top end of said plunger.

G. In a pump, the combination of: a barrel v having a standing valve; a pump delivery tube; a plunger adapted to operate in said barrel, said plunger having a traveling valve discharging pumped fluid into said` delivery tube; means forming a reservoir, said reservoirbeing in communication with the delivery tube and `with the space between said plunger and said barrel and adapted to contain an abrasive excluding fluid medium; and means subjected to the pressure of the pumped fluid for placing a pressureon said abrasive excludingl fluid medium sufficient to cause saidv abrasive excluding fluid medium to flow slowly but positively through said space, said means being adapted to follow said medium and separate the pumped fluid from said medium within said reservoir.

7. In a pump, the combination of: a barrel having a standing valve; a pump delivery tube; a plunger adapted to operate in said barrel, said plunger having a traveling valve ldischarging pumped fluid into said. delivery tube; means forming a reservoir, said reservoir being in communication with the space between said plunger and said barrel, and said reservoir being in communication with the' delivery tube so that an abrasive excluding fluid medium in said reservoir will be subjected to the fluid-pressureJ of the pumped fluid; and a weighted piston 1n said reservoir for increasing the pressure on said abrasive excluding fluid medium so that said pressure will be sufficient to cause said abrasiveexcluding fluidmedium to flow slowly but positively through said space.

'8. In a pump, the combination of: a barrel having a standing valve; a pump delivery tube; a plunger adapted to operate in said barrel, said plunger having a traveling valve discharging pumped fluid into said delivery tube; means forming a reservoir, said reservoir being in communicationwith the space between said plunger and said barrel, and said reservoir being in communication with the delivery tube so that an abrasive exclud-y ing fluid mediumin said reservoir will be subjected to the fluid-pressure ofthe pumped fluid; and a weighted piston for increasing the pressure on said abrasive excluding fluid medium so that said pressure will be sufficient to cause said/abrasive excluding fluid medium to flow slowly but positively-through saidspace. I. Y

9. In a pump, the combination of: a barrel having a standing valve; a pump delivery tube; a' plunger adapted to operate in said barrel; said plunger having a traveling valve discharging pumpedk fluid into said delivery tube; means forming a reservoir, saidL reservoir being in communication with the space betweensaid plunger and said barrel, and said reservoir being in communication with the delivery tube so that any abrasive excluding fluidmedium in said reservoir will be subjected to the fluid-pressure of the pumped fluid; and a weighted, substantially 'fluidtight piston in said reservoir abovesaidabrasive excluding fluid medium for increasing the pressure on said abrasive'excludingfluid medium so that said pressure will be sufficient to cause said abrasive excluding fluid medium to flow slowly y but positively through said space. l

10. In a pump, the combination of: a barrel having a standing valve; a pump delivery tube; a plunger adapted'to operate in said barrel, said plunger having `a traveling valve discharging pumped fluid into said delivery tube, the upper end of said plunger extending above said barrel; walls forming a reservoir, said reservoir surrounding the upper end of said plunger and communicating with said delivery tube, said reservoir having an abrasive excluding fluid medium therein; and means subjected to the pressure of the pumped fluid and supplying an additional pressure for placing a pressure on said abrasive excluding' fluid medium in excess of the fluid-pressure at the top end of said plunger to feed said fluid medium through the space between said plunger and said barrel. ll. In a. pump, the combination of: a barrel having a standing valve; a pump delivery tube; a plunger adapted to operate in said barrel, said plunger having a traveling valve discharging pumped fluid into said delivery tube, the upper end of said plunger extending above said barrel; walls forming a reservoir, said reservoir surrounding the upper end of said plunger, said reservoir having an abrasive excluding fluid medium therein, and said reservoir being in communication with the delivery tube so that said abrasive excluding fluid medium in said reservoir will be subjected to the fluid-pressure of the pumped fiuidto feed said fluid medium through the space between said plunger and said barrel; and means in said reservoir for increasing the pressure onsaid abrasive excluding fluid medium so that said pressure will be in excess of the fluid-pressure at the top end of said plunger.

12. In a pump, the combination of: a barrel havinga standing valve; a pump delivery tube; a plunger adapted to operate in said barrel, said plunger having a traveling valve discharging pumped fluid into said delivery tube, the upper end of said plunger extending above said barrel; walls forming a reservoir, said reservoir surrounding the upper end of said plunger and communicating with said delivery tube, said reservoir having an abrasive excluding fluid medium therein; and a substantially fluid-tight piston subjected to the pressure of the pumped fluid and supplying an additional pressure for placing a pressure on said abrasive excluding fluid medium sufficient to cause said abrasive excluding fluid medium to flow slowly but positively through said space. Y

13. In a pump, the combination of: a barrel having a standing valve; a pump delivery tube communicating with said barrel; a plunger having a traveling valve discharging pumped fluid into said delivery tube; means forming a reservoir communicating with the space between said plunger and said barrel and with said delivery tube so that an abrasive excluding-fluid medium in said reservoir will be subjected to the pressure of the pumped fluid to feed said medium through saidspace; and means in said reservoir adapted to follow said medium and prevent contamination thereof by the pumped fluid.

14. In a pump, the combination of: a barrel having a standing valve; a pump delivery tube communicating'with said barrel; a plunger having a traveling valve discharging pumped fluid into said delivery tube; means forming a reservoir communicating ywith the space between said plunger and said barrel and with said delivery tube s0 that an abrasive excluding fluid medium in sa1d reservoir will be subjected to the pressure of the pumped fluid to feed said me-r dium through said space; means in said reservoir adapted to follow said medium and prevent contamination thereof by the pumped fluid; and means for applying an additional pressure to said fluid medium.

In testimony whereof, we have hereunto set our hands at Los Angeles, California, this 11th day of July, 1927.- v

ROSCOE IV. STEPHENS. CHARLES E. IVILCOX. 

